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Local track star denied chance to compete in national championship

She's one of the country's best track and field athletes, but Sami Spenner may never get a chance to prove it, even though her marks in the pentathlon put her third in the world.

Updated: 10:19 PM CST Feb 7, 2014

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Local track star denied chance to compete in national championship

She's one of the country's best track and field athletes, but Sami Spenner may never get a chance to prove it, even though her marks in the pentathlon put her third in the world.

Updated: 10:19 PM CST Feb 7, 2014

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Local track star denied chance to compete in national championship

She's one of the country's best track and field athletes, but Sami Spenner may never get a chance to prove it, even though her marks in the pentathlon put her third in the world.

Updated: 10:19 PM CST Feb 7, 2014

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WEBVTT SHE'S ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S BEST TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES BUT SAMI SPENNER .... MAY NEVER GET A CHANCE TO PROVE IT. EVEN THOUGH HER MARKS IN THE PENTATHLON PUT HER THIRD IN THE WORLD. AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE SHE GOES TO U-N-O. NEW TONIGHT, K-E-T-V NEWSWATCH SEVEN ANDREW OZAKI EXPLAINS WHY. WHEN IT COMES TO JUMPING...( NAT SND: JUMP ) RUNNING..( NAT SND ) AND THROWING A SHOT PUT...( NAT SND ) SAMI SPENNER IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY... BUT THERE IS ONE HURDLE SHE CAN'T OVER COME... A CHANCE TO COMPETE FOR A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.( Sami Spenner: It was heart breaking last year and I think it will be even more heartbreaking this year. ) ESPECIALLY SINCE LAST WEEK THE UNO PENTATHLON ATHLETE POSTED THE HIGHEST SCORE SO FAR THIS YEAR FOR ALL COLLEGE ATHLETES. ( Sami Spenner: Compared to the rest of the nation that's the highest score by about 100 points.) BUT THAT'S AS FAR AS IT GOES.... THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA OMAHA IS IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING FROM D2 TO D1. THE NC DOUBLE A BARS ATHLETES AND TEAMS FROM SCHOOLS IN TRANSITION FROM ANY POST SEASON COMPTETION FOR FOUR YEARS... UNO WILL BE ELIGIBLE IN 20-15...BUT THIS THE LAST YEAR SHE CAN COMPETE. ( Chris Richardson: She has earned the right to be there to compete against the best people in the country. ) THEY APPLIED FOR A WAIVER LAST YEAR AND WERE TURNED DOWN. THIS YEAR SPENNER IS TRYING SOCIAL MEDIA.( Spenner: I thought I was just going to write a letter. ) IT GOT PICKED UP ON A NUMBER OF TRACK WEBSITES. IT DETAILS HOW SHE CAME TO UN-O FOR IT'S EXERCISE SCIENCE PROGRAM... AND JUST HAPPENED UPON TRACK.( Spenner: me and my dad got this idea hey maybe you could go out for the track team. ) WHEN SHE GOT GOOD ... NC-AA OFFICIALS TOLD TRANSFERING TO ANOTHER SCHOOL WAS ONE OF HER ONLY OPTIONS.( Sami Spenner: When they told me that I should transfer, so it's like you wanted my to put my athletics above my academics. ) EVEN OLYMPIC ATHLETES SENT TWEETS. AND MANY UNO STUDENTS SUPPORT HER FIGHT.( Dillon Kennedy: Some who is the best of the best. )( Garrett Cook: she should be able to compete. ) SPENNER SAYS IT WILL BE HARD IF SHE HAS TO SIT OUT AGAIN BUT HOPES HER STORY WILL HELP OTHER ATHLETES.( Spenner: If anything it helps just having people know what's going on. ) AT UNO ANDREW OZAKI KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN. WE REACHED OUT TO THE N-C-A-A TODAY, THEY ONLY WOULD REITTERATE THEIR RECLASSIFICATION POLICY. AS FOR SAMI..THE NATIONAL TRACK AND FIELD INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE IN MID MARCH... UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO COMPETE. SHE'S STILL CONSIDERING WHETHER TO TRY OUT FOR THE OLYMPICS IN TWO YEARS.